Forget coded villains — give us queer ones!
Movie-goers are currently enjoying watching villains The Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman on the big screen facing off against Batman, but who will he fight next?
Villains have long been coded as queer, and Batman is a shining example of this. Whether it's the psycho-sexual relationship between Batman and his nemesis the Joker, the flamboyant camp of Jim Carrey's Riddler, or the bisexual wiles of Catwoman, Batman is famous for beating up queer-coded villains.
But what would happen if they started actually casting gay, bisexual, and queer actors as the villains though? What if the queer coding led to some actual queer representation and some actual queer job-getting?
That's what we're dying to see. As long as villains are going to be coded as queer, we want them to be played by actual gay, bi, and queer actors. Here are a few of our top choices for who should face off against the Dark Knight in his next movie!
RELATED | Zoe Kravitz Says Catwoman Is Bisexual in The Batman
Anthony Rapp as Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze is one of Batman's most tragic villains, and Rapp would be a great choice to bring some experience and gravity to the role. We haven't seen Mr. Freeze in a Batman movie since 1997's Batman and Robin where he was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, but we think Rapp would provide a much more grounded take on the character.
Aubrey Plaza as Nocturna
Nocturna is a vampire who has fought against both Batman and Batwoman, so the bisexual Aubrey Plaza, who already describes herself as a witch and hag is already halfway there. Plaza hasn't played nearly enough villains in her career.
Harvey Guillén as Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter is often one of Batman's more comedic rogues, so we'd love to see What We Do in the Shadow's Guillen take his turn playing the villain. Mad Hatter has never appeared in a Batman movie, so he's ready to make his debut.
Colman Domingo as Ra's al Ghul
One of Batmans' greatest rivals, and his mentor, Colman Domingo would be a perfect older villain for Robert Pattinson's emo Batman. We'd love to see the veteran actor chew up scenery as the global terrorist.
Elliot Page as Scarecrow
Scarecrow was criminally underutilized when he appeared in the Nolan Batman movies, and it's time he finally gets his due. Page would make a great Dr. Jonathan Crane. He's got the acting chops, and the body type perfect for the character.
Guillermo Diaz as Dr. Hugo Strange
BD Wong played evil psychiatrist Dr. Hugo Strange in TV's Gotham, and we think Guillermo Diaz would be the perfect actor to follow in his footsteps. Strange is a criminal mastermind, and one of the few villains to figure out Batman's secret identity.
Luke Evans as Hush
The Batman villain Hush actually has several identities, but we think hunky Luke Evans would be perfect to play Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Thomas Elliot, a bold and brash surgeon who targets both Batman and Bruce Wayne.
Megan Fox as Poison Ivy
We're in the midst of the Meganaissance, and bicon Megan Fox has already expressed interest in playing Poison Ivy opposite Margot Robbie in a future Harley Quinn movie. Who's to say she shouldn't also face off against Batman himself.
Kal Penn as Two-Face
Two-Face is one of Batman's most classic villains, and Kal Penn, who came out late last year, would be a great next choice. He struggles to fight between his good and bad sides, and Penn would do a great job at bringing both sides to the character.
Kristen Stewart as The Joker
KStew and RPattz have a long history, starring in the Twilight Saga together, and we'd absolutely die if they played Batman and the Joker opposite each other. Can you even imagine the cultural reset that would be?
Joel Kim Booster as Man-Bat
Man-Bat is a scientist who combines his DNA with bat DNA and becomes a half man, half bat monster. We mostly want Joel Kim Booster in the role so we can see him shirtless.
Arienne Mandi as Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul, the Daughter of the Demon, is both a classic Batman foe and, often, his lover. We think The L Word: Generation Q's Arienne Mandi, who is Chilean and Iranian, would be a perfect choice for the typically Middle Eastern character who was last portrayed by the very white Marion Cotillard.
Dove Cameron as The Ventriloquist
There have been three different Ventriloquists in the comics, but we're going with either of the female ones, Peyton Riley or Shauna Belzer. Cameron has played great villains in The Descendants movies and Hairspray Live, and we'd love to see her tackle this role.
Vincent Rodriguez III as Bane
Bane is another Batman villain who's already appeared a couple times, but honestly, who gets tired of men with giant muscles? We certainly don't. We'd love to see the big and buff Vincent Rodriguez III from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend get a shot at the role.
